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I spend an inordinate amount of time in artisan cheese shops, at grocery store cheese counters, and on cheese sellers’ websites. I have worked in cheese retail, consulted with national chains to improve and curate their offerings, and partnered with e-commerce suppliers. Over the years, I’ve witnessed a lot of customers buying cheese at all price points, and some are far more successful at making good choices than others.

2018 marks my 35th year in the cheese business. I’ve been fortunate to meet so many incredible people over the course of my career, and I’ve certainly eaten more than my share of world class cheese along the way. My job has enabled me to travel the globe in the search for new dairies and to be a cheerleader for products I truly believe in, as well as witness the revolution of American cheese from a front row seat. In short: cheese has been very, very good to me.

The annual Winter Fancy Food Show took place January 21-23, 2018 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. The Daily Meal’s cheese expert Raymond Hook spent these three days investigating tens of thousands of products from over 1,400 exhibitors from around the globe. Here’s a list of his top five finds. Look out for these delicious and innovative products hitting the shelves in the coming months.

The SOFI Awards are some of the most coveted honors in the specialty food business. Gold, Silver, and Bronze sofis are given for “Specialty Outstanding Food Innovation,” and the prestige that comes with these accolades has the potential to significantly alter the course for an artisan producer.

If you’re in the mood for stellar cheese these days, it’s time to celebrate: some cheeses are exclusively available during the winter season. These primarily cow’s milk cheeses are flavorful due to the specific types of feed consumed by the cows at the time of milking.